The AESD Inclusionary Practices Project (IPP) supports educators with developing and implementing sustainable systems, structures, and practices to increase meaningful access to learning and engagement in our schools. Creating more inclusive classrooms and schools takes a clear vision, shifts in mindset and beliefs, and a commitment to honoring the diverse learning strengths, needs, and capabilities of every single student. Teacher, researcher, consultant, and storyteller Shelley Moore states, “It isn’t about place. It isn’t about time. It is about being purposeful in all places and at all times in a classroom, in a school, and in a community – whether the time we are all together is 5 or 10 minutes a day, a week, or a year! It is going to look different for every student and every class.   The goal does not have to be 100% of the time, but it does mean that 100% of the time we are striving to be more inclusive. It is a journey, not a destination.”  

Currently, Washington is one of the least inclusive states, ranking 44th out of 50 nationwide. On average 57% of students receiving special education services spend 80-100% of their day in the general education setting. There is much work ahead on our journey to improve equity and inclusion in our schools and right now, support exists! The challenge lies in knowing how to get started and understanding our roles and responsibilities in creating more inclusive schools. 

Getting started on the journey of inclusion and equity takes a mindset and culture shift among educators. We must attend carefully to our language and own the responsibility as general educators to be the experts on all students in our classroom. Students are not “yours”, “mine”, “SPED”, “ELs” or “low kids”; students are not their deficits and the responsibility of serving students well certainly doesn’t fall solely on the interventionist or staff providing support. Our students belong to all of us, our students deserve to be seen as more than their deficits, and our students are the responsibility of every single staff member in our schools.  This means we have to collaborate.  Authentically. Collaborate. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) may be a bad word in some buildings, and certainly a mixed bag of experiences and effectiveness with PLCs sways our willingness to engage. However, truth be told, we can’t do improvement work alone. We must talk about improving our teaching with others who share our work. Educating the whole child is complex, nuanced, exhausting, and rewarding work.  More honest, open, vulnerable conversations between adults must happen if we expect to meet the needs of our diverse learners. What we believe about our students, their capabilities, and the way we talk about students matters. 

In the words of Rita Pierson, “every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.” And because we know “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, we can’t jump into the technical classroom practices supporting inclusive education until we attend to the culture and mindsets among staff. 

Furthermore, creating inclusive and equitable schools takes clarity of vision. Leaders in our schools must continually communicate, through words, actions, publications, materials, resources, professional learning, choices, and the physical environments of our buildings that inclusion and equity matter, that every single child, staff member, and community member is seen, valued, and belongs to the school community. Once a clear vision for inclusion and equity are shared, leaders must remove barriers and restructure systems to support this vision.  This means we will see changes in our master schedules, our professional learning, our PLC conversations, hiring practices, and our classroom practices. Change is uncomfortable, but change is possible if we all know what we are working toward and why it matters. 

Understood.org is a resource showing the difference between UDL and Transitional Classrooms and defining the differences between inclusive and traditional classrooms.

Ultimately, what we believe about our students, about our own capabilities, and the intentional ways we cultivate relationships matters most right now. We must believe we can engage and empower all students and we must believe all students and families bring incredible gifts and strengths to our schools. Becoming more inclusive and equitable means breaking down the existing silos.

I encourage you to take advantage of the professional learning opportunities and support that exists for inclusionary practices and share these opportunities with your colleagues. Although registration is closed at this time, all courses will be available again on February 1. These learning opportunities support learning both the technical and adaptive pieces necessary for increased inclusion and equity. 

For many, this year has brought new challenges and exhaustion as we navigate the pandemic, learning loss, and increased social-emotional needs. Educators know the importance of quality over quantity and that brains can’t engage in learning until their emotional needs are met. Slowing down, truly prioritizing, and continually redefining and reimagining what education can look like is a critical part of this journey. We can do this together! As educators, our superpower is creating community, stability, and hope for our students.